What UAE-based Nepali expats are saying as floods hit their homeland

Dubai: For Nepali expatriates living in the UAE, the first instinct after seeing images of floods and landslides tearing through their homeland was to reach for the phone and call home.

For some, the call has brought relief, while for others, every unanswered call or delayed message brought fresh anxiety.

As Nepal grapples with devastating floods and landslides that have caused deaths, injuries, missing persons, and extensive damage, Nepali expats living and working in the UAE have been following developments through news reports, social media, phone calls, and community networks. 

The crisis has also brought an outpouring of gratitude towards the UAE after the country allocated $10 million through the UAE Aid Agency for urgent humanitarian assistance to those affected. The support has come under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Calling home

Nabin Poudel, a bank officer who has lived in the UAE for 18 years, has noted that the emotional impact of watching the disaster from afar was difficult to put into words.

“It is extremely painful to see my country going through this while I am far away. Your mind is constantly back home, wondering if your family is safe,” Poudel told Gulf News.

He has found out about the floods through the news and immediately called his family. Thankfully, they have been safe. But the relief has not ended the worry.

“I keep calling and checking on them whenever I can. Being thousands of kilometres away and unable to be there physically is an emotional experience.”

For Poudel, the UAE’s support for Nepal has provided an additional source of comfort at a time of distress.

“I am truly grateful to the UAE government and its people for standing beside Nepal in this difficult time. When your country is suffering and you are far from home, this kind of support gives you strength and hope.”

Waiting for a response

Similarly, for Binod Basnet, a receptionist who has spent 14 years in the UAE, news of the floods have immediately turned into concern for his family.

He has first learned about the situation through news and social media before contacting his relatives. 

“My family is safe. I regularly call and video call them to make sure they are okay. Being far away, even a small delay in getting a call can be very stressful,” shared Basnet.

He has bared that the UAE’s support had sent a message of solidarity to Nepalis living in the country.

“I sincerely thank the UAE government and its people. Their support gives us hope and reminds us that humanity has no borders.”

Heart with home

According to Sarita Tamang, the crisis has created an emotional contrast. As a nurse who has lived in the UAE for 13 years, she spends her days caring for people here. But images of the disaster in Nepal have immediately brought her thoughts back to her homeland.

“As a nurse, I spend my days caring for people here, but when I see the flood situation in Nepal, my heart is with my own people,” recalled Tamang.

She has come across the news of the floods through social media and immediately reached out to her family.

“It was a very emotional moment. Every time I hear their voice, I feel relieved. Although my family is safe, I still worry about everyone affected by the floods.”

The UAE’s response has also had a personal meaning for her.

“I am truly touched by the support from the UAE government. As a Nepali living and working here, this support makes us feel that we are not alone.”

Hope for victims

On the other hand, Durga Pandey, a sales executive who has resided in the UAE for five years, has mentioned that the images of the flash floods were enough to cause immediate shock.

“Being outside Nepal makes the situation even more difficult because you cannot immediately go home or help your family personally,” exclaimed Pandey.

She has contacted her relatives after getting to know about the disaster through social media.

“Fortunately, my immediate family is safe and far away from flooding area.”

However, her thoughts have remained with those who have lost their homes and livelihoods.

“I am grateful for the UAE's humanitarian support and concern for Nepal. I hope the assistance reaches the affected communities quickly, especially families who have lost their homes and livelihoods.”

‘We are not alone’

For community leaders, the disaster has also shown the emotional connection between Nepalis living abroad and those back home.

Kamal Jung Karki, general secretary of the Nepal Association NRNA UAE, has pointed out that the devastation had left the community deeply distressed.

“As Nepalis living far from our homeland, the devastating floods and landslides in Nepal have left our hearts deeply broken. Every phone call from home, every message, photograph, and video of the disaster brings pain and anxiety to those of us living here in the UAE,” explained Karki.

He has emphasised that the UAE’s response meant more than financial assistance.

“This support is not simply financial assistance, it is a powerful message to every Nepali that, in our darkest hour, we are not alone.”

Moreover, Karki has expressed his gratitude to the UAE government and its people for the compassion, solidarity, and humanitarian support.

“We will remember this support not only as assistance during a disaster, but as a beautiful expression of friendship, humanity, and solidarity between the UAE and Nepal.”

Standing together

For his part, Bikas Shahi, deputy regional coordinator for the Middle East of the Non-Resident Nepali Association, has underscored that one of the most difficult aspects of a disaster viewed from abroad is uncertainty.

He has stressed that in some affected areas, communication services have been disrupted, which can turn the simple act of calling home into a source of fear.

“Not being able to immediately reach loved ones during a disaster is extremely distressing. Even when our own families are safe, it is impossible to feel at ease when we see so many other families suffering from loss of life, displacement, and the destruction of their homes and livelihoods,” stated Shahi.

Additionally, he has appealed to Nepalis living in the UAE to contribute where they could and urged international organisations, humanitarian agencies, businesses, communities, and well-wishers around the world to support Nepal.

“Every contribution, whether large or small, can make a meaningful difference to families who have lost their loved ones, homes, and livelihoods.”

For Shahi, the UAE’s humanitarian response has an especially personal significance after more than two decades in the country.

“I feel extremely happy, emotional, and proud to see my karmabhumi, the UAE, standing beside and supporting my janmabhumi, Nepal, during its time of need.” 

Nepali expats say that the UAE’s support has arrived at a moment when the distance from home feels particularly painful.

Their families may be thousands of kilometres away but through every phone call, every message, and every effort to help, their connection to Nepal remains close. And for those whose calls have been answered with the words “we are safe,” there is relief.